Joyful
by AbiNotNormal
Summary: Merry Christmas from the Norrington household! Abigail, Jamie and the children celebrate how they want to! A Christmas sequel to 'a Pirate's life for me' if you don't know who the characters are, so go and read that beforehand ;p This story contains lots of mush, yes


Joyful

Christmas had never been a favourite time of year for James Norrington growing up.

He was never spoiled much by his father and when he was at school, he steered clear of festive activities and buried himself in his schoolwork.

But over the last ten years of his life, he found something utterly wonderful in this time of year.

And it was, in part, thanks to his wife, his children and the home they all shared.

Abigail had begun the tradition at their old house, making and putting up what decorations she could and singing Christmas songs until her throat was dry and sore.

He hadn't minded swapping small presents with her there and then, but the year after that, there were more decorations, a couple more gifts and Abigail was pregnant with their first child, so more people stopped by with their own handmade and hand-me-down gifts that they had appreciated.

And when Lawrence was born...Christmas finally began to enter his heart. He and Abigail had spoiled Lawrence rotten and he'd even had a go at making a Christmas wreath as a surprise for her. Of course, he'd pricked his fingers so many times, that Abigail had to then treat his hands, but she was still pleased with the slightly messy end result.

And when Evie came along, he began planning presents for them in October, which amused Abigail to no end. Apparently, they couldn't each share one rocking horse, so he was determined to make another one and paint it yellow, which he felt Evie would like more than the green one he had for Lawrence.

Abigail admired him and watched him toil and work everyday to make their children's Christmas a happy one. And her own. All his presents for her where heartfelt and even if she had forgotten about some offhand comment she had made to him, she still remembered that she needed the item. From simple, clean linens to new cookware, he always made her happy.

And when they moved to their new house, he spared no exception for their tight schedule.

They had moved in only a month before Christmas, but Jamie worked hard in ensuring all the furniture was in the right place, all the decorations were made and hung and that the presents were ready to be wrapped.

The happiness and joy on this families faces was worth the hardwork.

And in the few years that followed, the little traditions grew and this year, was no exception.

Greenery and wreaths decorated the doors and windows.

Abigail had saved up all the fruits and strung them up in front of the fireplace with the children.

Lawrence had taken every piece of parchment he could find and drawn pictures of stars and trees and planted them over the house.

Evangeline had acquired many ribbons and tied bows to anything stationery and anything that she could put bows on.

And the dogs had kindly stopped chewing Jamie's shoes and just sat in front of the warm fireplace, lazing about.

Early in the morning, the children awoke their parents with screams and shouts of 'It's Christmas morning, wake up!' and 'The stockings are full!'

They'd thankfully grown out of their phase of just jumping on their parents to wake them up.

They eagerly went downstairs and sat around to see the 'haul' that St. Nicholas had brought them, Jamie and Abigail taking up their seats to watch their children happily unwrap the gifts they'd so carefully made up the night before.

Abigail loved that night. She loved talking with Jamie and imagining the wonderful in Lawrence's eyes as he unwrapped his first pocket watch and Evangeline got her first pair or riding boots so they could finally take them to see the horses on the farm nearby.

Jamie had of course been given a book full of pictures and pressed flowers from his daughter and son, who had put their thoughts and careful research down in the pages.

And then Abigail had presented him with a beautiful linen shirt and a new, leatherbound journal, one that he'd been admiring in the shop for a while.

But whilst Abigail had received a small necklace and a box decorated in seashells from her children, Jamie had not presented anything to her.

'Later,' he mouthed and winked at her and she clean forgot about it once the dogs had tried to get into the kitchen again.

After presents were exchanged and played with, they all sat down for the large breakfast that Abigail had prepared and relished in the bacon, eggs and sausages she'd specially purchased.

After food, they took their bracing Christmas day walk along the beach by their home, Abigail insisted that they wrap up warm due to the freezing temperatures.

To keep them from all getting frostbite or hypothermia, they ran about and chased one another and the dogs until their noses began to run from exertion.

Hustling them back home and into the warm, they spend most of the time reading to one another, performing plays and then, just before dinner, Abigail had sat down at the piano and began to play.

The children and Jamie, gathered around her and sang along with the cheery, familiar Christmas song she had taught them all a few years ago.

'Joy to the World; the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King!

Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields & floods, rocks, hills & plains

Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love.'

Once they settled around the dinner table, Abigail had caught Jamie's little looks during his daughter's prayer.

Whilst their children's eyes were tightly shut and their hands clasped to their lips, her husband was looking at her with that familiar gaze that made her stomach get butterflies and her toes curl pleasantly.

He had something planned and whilst she didn't know exactly what, she was looking forward to it.

Once dinner was sorted, they stayed up for a few more hours, reading and just being together as a family.

Despite their protests that they would stay up so the day would never end, Lawrence fell asleep on the floor by the dogs and Evangeline was sprawled over both her parents, her legs out her father's lap whilst her head rested on her mother.

They each took a child up to their own beds, tucked them in and began to clear up.

Jamie was the first in bed and as he undressed and put on his nightshirt and trousers, he slipped Abigail's present under the pillow just in time.

She came slipping slowly inside their room and whispered, "both out like a light."

Jamie watched her as she contently began to prepare for bed. She talked with him about her happiness at seeing their children so overjoyed at their presents.

He watched as she brushed her hair, undressed and slipped into her own nightclothes.

He longed to see her the way she had been before, naked as she clambered into bed beside him, but that was something he had to miss. Because if they were to stay asleep in the morning before dressing, their children would walk in and had a tendency to make 'yuck' noises at the sight of their parents cuddling and kissing.

Once she was ready, she slowly walked over and smiled down at him.

"Ready for bed?" She asked and let him take her wrists, gently pulling her closer.

"Not yet," he smiled back at her and brought her hands to his lips, kissing each finger as he talked, "I want to stay up with you a bit longer. Come here."

Guiding her forward and gently resting his hands on her clothed hips, Abigail decided the best seat in her room was over his lap.

She slid her knees either side of him and settled down, her fingers threading through his locks.

"I love you, but I know you're up to something," she smirked as one of his hands slowly slid away and disappeared beneath their pillow.

"You know me too well," he gently grabbed the package he'd hidden and pulled it out, holding it between them, "merry christmas."

"I bloody knew it!" she laughed and happily took the small bundle from him, glaring playfully, "you are no good at being sneaky, did you know that? You get that little twinkle in your eye."

Despite her teasing, she did lean down and quickly kiss him.

"Thank you."

"You haven't even opened it yet."

"I know, but it's such pretty wrapping," she fiddled with the bow on top and pouted, "almost makes me not want to open it."

"Wench," his grip on her shifted and purposefully let her fall back, "I shouldn't have bothered-"

"Ah, no!" She laughed and pulled herself forward, "alright, I'll open it!"

Abigail managed to pull at the bow and free it, unravelling the ribbon from around the fabric as Jamie watched her fiddle about.

He wouldn't say it outloud, but he was nervous about what she would think. He'd been deliberating about it for months, wondering how to make her gift special when she'd already been given everything she could ever need or want.

The house was brimming with linens, cookware and her wardrobe was packed with only a few 'smart' dresses and shoes. But the things she loved the most was what Jamie had had a go at making. He filled a blank book up with sketches of their children, cut snippets of their hair and put them in a locket for her and the year he had taken to actually crafting and sewn a handkerchief for her...well, she'd made love to him three times that night, proclaimed how she felt so happy and loved and lucky.

When the fabric fell away and her fingers met smooth glass, she carefully held up the small bottle in her hands and looked inside at the wondrous contents.

Jamie had painstakingly created and crafted a tiny ship and placed it inside, it's sails up and proud.

But it was the tiny details and the name on the ship that she recognised. Jamie had created her father's old ship. The one that had been destroyed. The one that he had taken her on, all those years ago. The one that Jamie had rescued her from.

Her breath was stolen as she gazed at every little detail in awe.

"I was working on it the last few weeks. Wanted it to be perfect," he was glad there seemed to be no anger in her eyes but was a little unnerved by her silence.

"Oh, Jamie," she managed to tear her eyes away from the glass and looked at him with such admiration, "it is perfect. Oh, love."

Jamie barely had time to prepare himself as she suddenly swooped down and captured his lips in a devastingly passionate kiss.

With her hands still clasping the bottle in her hands, she pushed herself forward the best she could, pouring all her love into the kiss.

His hands left her waist and moved around her back, smoothing out the wrinkles on her night dress and feeling the familiar curves of her body.

"The little ones are asleep," she managed to speak out between heated kisses, "dogs are by the fire. We have an hour or so before sleep comes."

"Are you sure? You did say you were feeling sick earlier?" His hands were already moving over her buttocks and hips and whilst he was reluctant to let her go, he did want to make sure she was ok.

In answer to that silly question, she moved back and gave him SUCH a look.

"Oh, you say the oddest things," she moved and placed the bottle on the bedside table before turning back to him with her arms raised above her head, "but I know what a gentleman you are. So I think...you deserve a reward."

His hands wondered down to the bottom of her dress and tugged it free from her legs and lap, before pulling it slowly up.

"I love your rewards," once her breasts were free for his viewing, he didn't push up her dress anymore, but moved his hands over her, cupping her with his thumbs brushing over her nipples, "have I told you that I loved you today?"

Lowering her arms and letting her fingers thread through his hair, she moaned and nodded.

"Three times. But say it again."

"I love you," he looked up at her expectedly, waiting for a kiss, but she suddenly had that secretive glimmer in her eye and smiled.

"I love you. I hope you've got lots more love to give, however."

Jamie arched his brow as her hands came to his wrists and pulled them down slowly until they rested against her stomach.

"Merry Christmas," she smirked and he suddenly knew what else she was giving him that year, "I believe I said I wanted lots of children with you."

Jamie could only laugh happily as he wondered at the magnificence of the life she was carrying inside of her again.

"What was it? Seven? Eight?"

"No," she leaned down and rubbed the tip of her nose against his, "fifteen but since we're on three, I'll see how I feel next Christmas."

They wasted no time in making slow, gentle love, Abigail rocking her hips down against him as she rode him and Jamie eagerly roaming his hands over her body.

It was a slow burn rather than the raging fires they had gotten used to before the children came along, but they both approved of the slight changes made in their 'schedules'.

The eager grabs and grasps.

The want to savour every moment.

The Quiet moans and silenced screams.

As Jamie felt her draw nearer to the edge, he slipped his hands between them and gently rubbed her with his fingers.

He watched as she came hard and bit her lip, trying her hardest not to scream the house down.

The sight sent him over and with a loud gasp, he too fell apart clinging to her to keep her near.

As they held onto one another, he thought back on all the previous Christmases and he had to admit. So far, this was the best Christmas ever. And he had a feeling, each year that passed would just get better and better.

"Merry Christmas, my Love," she purred in his arms and held him tighter.

"Merry Christmas, my Darling."


End file.
